“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
If I asked you to describe a Christian, what would you say? Would you use words like love, compassion, and grace? Or, would you instead describe a person who is anti-something? Unfortunately, many people outside the Church view Christians as the latter instead of the former.
While Jesus was not primarily known for what He was against, many Christians today are. Jesus was known for serving people who had needs, feeding people who were hungry, healing people who were sick, and even raising people who were dead. Today, however, His followers are often known most widely for what they stand against. Christians are anti-abortion, anti-pre marital sex, or anti-getting drunk.
While we should stand on the truth of God’s Word and speak out against all sin, being anti-sin should not necessarily define us. Jesus was most definitely anti-sin. No one in the history of the world was more against sin than Jesus. But His voice of grace shouted louder than His voice of condemnation. He used His knowledge of God’s truth to encourage people to drop their rocks of judgment and show mercy. He didn’t do this to condone sin, but rather to show the fullness of God’s love. God hates sin…but He loves redemption more.
How would you describe yourself? Is your Christianity more about being for salvation or being against sin? You see, it is impossible to be for Biblical salvation and not be against sin. But it is possible to have an attitude of condemnation towards sinners without being for their salvation. We must choose to keep our eyes on Christ, so that we can be pro-grace while still holding firmly to the truth of His Word.
Dear Father, thank for today's reminder that I should always strive to be acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with you. Please help me to use Micah 6:8 as a marker for how I live my life each day. In Jesus' name, amen.
Topics: Grace
